Elements of Literature: The Basics

1
Elements of LiteratureThe Basics

• This tutorial is intended to help expand your
  knowledge base of

• Genres
• Non-fiction
• Fiction

2
GENRES
3
What is Genre?

• Genre is the type of literature you are reading.

4
There are two main genres of prose

• Non-fiction
• Fiction

• Note Prose is any writing that is not poetry.

5
Non-fiction

• A prose writing that deals with real people,
  events, and places--without changing facts.

6
Examples of Non-Fiction

• News Story--Informational text dealing with an
  actual, real-life subjects
• Speech-- Public address or
  discourse
• Research

• Autobiography--Narrative of a person's life
• Biography-- a true story about
  a real person
• Personal Essay-- A short literary
  composition that reflects the author's outlook or
  point

7
Fiction

• A prose account that is made up rather than true.
  Novels and short stories are usually fiction.

8
Categories of Fiction

• Fairy Tale--story about fairies or other magical
  creatures, usually for children
• Fantasy--strange or other worldly settings or
  characters invites suspension of reality
• Fable--narration demonstrating a useful truth,
  especially in which animals speak as humans
  legendary, supernatural tale
• Folklore--stories of a people or "folk" as handed
  down by word of mouth

9
Categories of Fiction cont.

• Legend--story, sometimes of a national or folk
  hero, which has a basis in fact but also includes
  imaginative material
• Mythology--legend or traditional narrative, often
  based in part on historical events, that reveals
  human behavior and natural phenomena by its
  symbolism often pertaining to the actions of the
  gods
• Tall Tale--humorous story with blatant
  exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the
  impossible with nonchalance

10
Categories of Fiction cont.

• Historical Fiction--fictional characters and
  events in a historical setting
• Horror--events evoke a feeling of dread in both
  the characters and the reader
• Humor--full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant
  to entertain but can be contained in all genres

11
Categories of Fiction cont.

• Mystery--dealing with the solution of a crime or
  the unraveling of secrets
• Realistic Fiction--story that can actually happen
  and is true to life
• Romance--evoking feelings of love
• Science Fiction--based on impact of actual,
  imagined, or potential science, usually set in
  the future or on other planets

12
Practice, Practice, Practice

• Practice Exercise
• Practice Quiz

13
Resources

• The following resource was used to complete this
  presentation
• http//www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/ll/litrlgenres.asp

This presentation was created by Erica L.
Basnight-Johnson, Henrico Co. elbasnightjohnson_at_he
nrico.k12.va.us